Sheet feeding apparatus



NOV. 12, 1968 w wElDMAN ET AL 3,410,550

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed March 21,, 196? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS WILLIAM H. WE/DMAN FRANK L. KASTEL/O BY W ATTORNEYS I Nov. 12, 1968 w wElDMAN ET AL SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Mm L 8 mm 058 N T A R a /W 0 v w s MK M N mm WP C u w 5 l H P 6 5 l l 0 F 6 United States Patent 3,410,550 SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS William H. Weidman, Maple Heights, and Frank L.

Kastelic, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Harris-Intertype Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 535,877 Claims. (Cl. 271-12) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sheet feeding apparatus includes a plurality of elongated members supported above a pile of sheets. Each of the elongated members has a sheet-engaging portion which is engageable with a sheet to limit the vertical movement thereof and to guide the sheet as the sheet is moved laterally of the pile. The individual elongated members are supported for adjustment in a direction transverse to the lateral movement of the sheet as well as in a vertical plane. The elongated members additionally are supported for bodily vertical movement and a safety switch is tripped to stop operation of an elevator which supports the pile in response to bodily vertical movement of the elongated members which would occur when the pile is excessively raised.

The present invention relates generally to a sheet feeding apparatus and particularly to a sheet feeding apparatus wherein the top sheet of a pile is separated from the pile by moving the sheet vertically and laterally of the pile and which includes a sheet guide mechanism disposed above the pile in a position to limit the vertical movement of the top sheet and guide the lateral movement of the sheet relative to the pile.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved sheet feeding apparatus which operates to separate the top sheet of a pile of sheets from the pile by moving the top sheet vertically and laterally of the pile and which includes a plurality of elongated sheet guide members which limit the vertical movement of the sheet and guide the lateral movement thereof, and wherein the sheet guide members are simple in design and supported for ready adjustment relative to the pile to accommodate for undulations in the top surface of the pile.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved sheet feeding apparatus, as noted above, wherein each of the sheet guide members has a first rod portion connected to a support member for pivotal movement relative thereto about an axis transverse to the leading edge of the sheet and a second rod portion spaced from the first rod portion and engageable with the top sheet of the pile and movable along the leading edge of the sheet upon pivotal movement of said first rod portion and wherein the support member is supported for pivotal movement about an axis substantially parallel with the leading edge of the sheet to effect movement of said second portion vertically relative to the top sheet of the pile.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved sheet feeding apparatus having an elevatable support for the pile of sheets and which raises the pile to maintain the top of the pile at a predetermined elevation while sheets are being separated from the pile, and wherein sheet guide members are provided to guide lateral movement of the sheet relative to the pile and wherein the sheet guide members are supported for bodily vertical movement and are associated with a control eifective to stop the elevation of the pile when the pile displaces the guide members vertically, as,

3,410,550 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 ice for example, if the top of the pile is moved beyond the predetermined elevation by the elevatable support.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved sheet fedeing apparatus, as noted in the preceding paragraph, wherein the sheet guide members are carried by a common support which operates a switch when moved vertically to interrupt operation of the drive for the elevatable support.

Further objects, novel characteristics, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of a sheet feeding apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmental view of a portion of the feeding apparatus shown in FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a portion of the sheet guide mechanism of FIG. 2, as viewed in the directions of arrows 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating different positions of adjustment of parts thereof.

The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus of the type in which a pile of sheets to be fed are supported on an elevatable-type support. The elevatable support is moved vertically to maintain the top sheet of the pile at a predetermined height or elevation so that a sheet separating means can engage the top sheet and raise it to a position from which it is moved laterally of the pile by a sheet transfer mechanism. An air blast is directed against the underside of the raised trailing portion of the sheet to aid in separating and facilitate the feeding of the sheet, as is well known. Guide members limit the vertical movement of the sheet by the air blast and guide the lateral movement of the sheet. The guide members of the present invention are readily adjustable to provide for vertical clearance between the top sheet and the members to compensate for undulation in the sheet so that the sheet can be separated from the pile.

As representing the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the drawings show a sheet feeding apparatus 10. Only those details of the sheet feeding apparatus 10 which are necessary for an understanding of the present invention have been shown in the drawings and will be described herein and reference may be made to the United States Patent to Elliott et al. No. 3,006,635, issued Oct. 31, 1961, for a more complete disclosure thereof.

The sheet feeding apparatus 10 is operable to feed sheets successively from a pile of sheets S. The pile of sheets S is placed on an elevatable platform 12 which is supported for vertical movement relative to the main frame 14 of the sheet feeding apparatus 10. The platform 12 is suspended from frame 14 by two pairs of cables 15, 17 connected at one end to a corner of the platform 12 and connected at their other end to a driven drum 16 supported on the main frame 14. Cables 15 extend from one part of the drum over a pair of pulleys 20 supported on frame 14 and have the other ends connected to the two corners of the platform nearest the drum. Cables 17 extend from the other part of the drum and are trained over two pairs of pulleys 21, 22 and have their other ends connected to the two corners of the platform most remote from the drum. The platform 12 is maintained by the cables slightly inclined relative to the horizontal to cause the leading edge LE of the sheets to abut a plurality of vertically extending pile gauge members 25 supported on the frame 14. The gauge members 25 vertically align the leading edge of each sheet so that the sheets will be properly positioned in the apparatus.

The drum 16 is rotated in opposite directions by a suit able drive mechanism illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 1 and designated as 24. The drive means is effective to rotate the drum in opposite directions to wind and unwind the cables to raise and lower platform 12, as is Well known. The drive means is operable to move the platform 12 vertically incrementally, or in a step-by-step fashion to maintain the top sheet of the pile S at a predetermined level or elevation as sheets are fed therefrom.

When the top sheet TS of the pile S has been positioned at the desired elevation, a plurality of lifting suckers 26, illustrated diagrammatically in the drawings, move down and grip the rear or trailing portion of the top sheet. The suckers move up lifting the rear portion of the top sheet vertically into a position wherein it is grippingly engaged by a series of forwarding suckers 28 which comprise means for transferring the sheet laterally of the pile.

When the lifting suckers 26 elevate the trailing or rear of the top sheet TS, an air blast from a series of nozzles 31 located adjacent to the rear or trailing edge of the top sheet is directed against the underside of the raised portion of the top sheet floating the leading or forward portion of the sheet vertically. A sheet guide mechanism, indicated generally as 32, is located above the pile and limits the vertical movement of the leading portion of the top sheet and guides the lateral movement thereof so that the leading edge of the sheet is properly received by a conveying mechanism 30.

The sheet guide mechanism 32 comprises a plurality of elongated members 34 extending transverse to the leading edge of the sheets and at spaced locations therealong. The elongated members 31 are spaced along a support bar 36 having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to the leading edge LE of the pile of sheets S and vertically spaced therefrom. The members 34 extend in opposite directions from bar 36 and overlie the front or leading portion of the sheets. Each member 34 is in the form of a closed rod-like loop having a first rod portion 34a which, in the preferred embodiment, is the upper portion, as shown in FIG. 3, and a second or lower rod portion 34b which engages the sheets. The members 34 are supported in a manner to provide for adjustment of the second rod portion 34b to accommodate the top surface contour or undulations of the pile. Generally, the top surface of the piles are undulated and to effect sheet separation, the members are readily adjustable to permit all areas of the top sheet to be moved vertically.

Each member 34 is connected to its associated hanger 38 by locating the opposite ends 34x, 34y of the memher in an opening 40 in the hanger 38. The supporting rod portion 34a is releasably clamped in opening 40 and when released is rotatable therein to effect adjustment of rod portion 34b about the longitudinal axis of rod portion 34a. The clamping is effected by a threaded fastener means 42 which extends through opposing portions of the hanger defining the opening 40.

The hangers 38 are adjustably mounted on support bar 36 for pivotal movement about the axis of the support bar. Each hanger 38 has an opening 44 extending through the lower portion of the hanger. The opening 44 extends generally transversely of the opening 40'. The hanger 38 is releasably secured to the bar and when released can be rotated about bar 36 and to effect adjustment of the member 34 and, in particular, rod portion 34b about the longitudinal axis of the support bar 36. The hanger 38 is releasably clamped to the bar 36 by suitable means and in the preferred embodiment by a threaded fastener 46 which extends through the hanger 38 similar to the manner in which the fastener 42 extends through the hanger portion defining opening 40. From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the rod portions 34b are separately supported for adjustment about two axes extending transversely to one another permitting an operator to arrange the portions 341; in positions which accommodate the undulations in the top surface of each pile of sheets S to be fed by the apparatus. For adjustment along the leading edge of the sheets, the portions 34b are pivoted about an axis offset from their axes and extending transverse to the leading edge of the sheets and relative to the hangers 38. For vertical adjustment, the portions 341) are pivoted with hangers 38 about the axis of the support bar 36.

This adjustability of the sheet guide members permits adequate separation of the top sheet from the remainder of the sheets of the pile by insuring that all portions of the top sheet can be moved vertically at least a predetermined distance which has been indicated in FIG. 4 of the drawings as distance X regardless of the surface contour of the pile. By way of illustration, the dotted line showing of member 34 in FIG. 4 represents a low position of adjustment relative to the pile, meaning that the portions 34a and 3411 are in vertical alignment and these portions are parallel with a horizontal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of support bar 36. The pile S is illustrated therein as having a surface contour such that the low position of adjustment of the member would cause portion 34b to engage a portion of the top surface of the sheet and would not permit the engaged portion of the top sheet to be moved vertically from the pile by the air blast. But with the member adjusted to the full-line position in FIG. 4, the affected area of the top sheet is permitted to move vertically preparatory to being moved laterally of the pile to the conveying mechanism. Hence, the described adjustment of member 34 compensates for undulations in the pile extending in the arbitrarily designated width W of the pile and is represented by the position of adjustment of member designated 34' in FIG. 5.

To compensate for pile undulations extending in the arbitrarily designated length L of the pile, the portions 34b can be swung upwardly in a vertical plane about bar 36 so as to extend at an acute angle to the horizontal. This position of adjustment is represented by the member designated as 34" in FIG. 5. Member 34 is illustrated in FIG. 5 in the above-mentioned low position.

The support bar 36 is supported at its ends by bracket means 50. The bracket means 50 are identical in construction and each includes a movable bracket 50a which is generally L-shaped having an opening in the lower end thereof through which one end of the support bar 36 extends. The bar 36 is fixedly secured to the L-shaped bracket 50a by a fastener 52. The L-shaped bracket 50a cooperates with a bracket 50b which is fixed to the frame 14. The bracket 50]; defines a verticaly extending opening 54 which is adapted to receive the end of the L-shaped bracket 50a. The bracket means 50 thus provide a mounting for support bar 36 which is effective to maintain the bar against movement in the horizontal direction while permitting movement thereof in the vertical direction.

The members 34 provide, in addition to the aforedescribed functions, a safety feature which prevents overhoisting of the pile S. As mentioned previously, the pile can be incrementally elevated to position the top at a predetermined elevation. But in the event that the pile travels upwardly and engages the portions 34b of the guide members 34, the raising movement of the pile should be stopped. Engagement of the pile S with the members 34 during overhoisting of the pile causes the support bar 36 and brackets 50a to be displaced vertically. The vertical displacement of brackets 50a relative to brackets 50b operates an overhoist switch '56 which is in circuit with the drive 24 for drum 16. When switch 56 is operated it stops operation of the drive for drum 16. During normal operation of the apparatus, the L-shaped bracket 50a is seated in the bracket 50b and a heel-shaped portion 50c of the bracket 50a rests on the switch actuator 56a and maintains the switch 56 in its operative setting permitting operation of the pile hoist. When pile overhoisting occurs, the bracket portion 500 moves out of en gagement with the switch" actuator 56a and causes the switch to be operated stopping elevation of the platform 12.

The apparatus further includes downstream sheet guide members 60 operable to guide the sheets on the conveying mechanism 30, and are also supported by the support bar 36. Guide members 60 are in the form of rods extending from support bar 36 in the direction away from the pile and which overlie a portion of conveyor 30. One of the ends of each of the rods 60 is threaded and extends through suitable openings provided in support hangers 62 and is secured thereto by nuts 63 threaded on the exposed threaded end portions of the rods. The hangers 62 support the rods for adjustment about the longitudinal axis of bar 36 and have an opening therein similar to opening 44 of hangers 38 and through which the support bar 36 extends. A threaded fastener similar to fastener 46 is provided in hangers 62 to adjust the frictional engagement of the hanger with the support bar 36.

The conveying mechanism 30 which receives the sheets from the suckers 28 comprises a series of idler pull-in feed rolls 66 which cooperate with a driven feed roll 67 disposed below the rolls 66. When the forwarding suckers 28 release the sheet, the leading edge thereof is located between the rolls 66, 67 and is fed therethrough onto a series of driven endless belts or tapes 68. As the sheet emerges from betweenthe rolls 66, 67, it has a tendency to move away from the tapes 68 and if this occurs, the sheet will engage the rods 60 and be directed onto the belts.

In operation, a pile of sheets to be operated on by the sheet feeding apparatus 10 is placed on the elevatable platform 12. The pile is elevated by operation of drum 16 to position the top sheet of the pile at a predetermined elevation. The operator effects the necessary adjustment of the guide members 34 to permit all areas of the top sheet to move vertically, as described hereinabove. Also, there may be occasions when the sheets have printing on parts thereof and the operator can pivot the member of members 34 which normally would engage the printed part upward about bar 36 and to a position wherein they will not engage the sheet, thereby preventing smudging of the printing. The lifting suckers 26 move into gripping engagement with the rear portion of the top sheet TS and raise it into engagement with the forwarding suckers 28. An air blast is provided by nozzles 31 and which lifts the forward portion of the top sheet into engagement with the guide member rod portions 34b effecting sepaaration of the top sheet from the pile. The forwarding suckers 28 move the sheet laterally of the pile along the guide member portions 34b toward the conveying mechanism 30. The leading edge LE of the top sheet is directed between the pull-in rolls 66, 67 feeding the top sheet onto the tapes 68. As the sheet emerges from the pull-in rolls, the downstream rods 60 insure that the sheet does not veer away from the tapes 68 which convey the sheets away from the pile.

As sheets are fed from the pile, the drive 24 for the drum 16 is actuated to elevate the pile to maintain the top of the pile at the proper elevation. In the event of pile overhoist, the pile engages the guide members 34 displacing brackets 50a from their associated fixed brackets 50b. This displacement operates switch 56 which stops operation of drum drive 24.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a sheet feeding apparatus wherein the top sheet of a pile of sheets is separated from the pile by movement thereof vertically and laterally relative to the pile, guide means for limiting the extent of vertical movement of the sheet and for guiding the lateral movement thereof, said guide means including a plurality of elongated members supported above the pile and extending over a portion of the top sheet and transverse to the leading edge thereof, each of said elongated members having a sheet engaging portion having a longitudinal first axis and being engageable with a sheet to limit the vertical movement thereof and to guide the sheet as the sheet is moved laterally of the pile, and means supporting said elongated members for individual adjustment of said sheet engaging portions about a second axis substantially parallel to said first aXis and offset therefrom to effect bodily swinging movement of said sheet engaging portion in a direction transverse to the lateral movement of the sheet and for adjustment about a third axis transverse to said first and second axes to effect movement of said sheet engaging portions in a substantially vertical plane.

2. A sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said last-named means includes a support bar having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to the leading edge of the top sheet and forming said third axis and a plurality of hangers spaced along said support bar and adjustable about said longitudinal axis, each of said hangers having a portion which supports one of said guide members for pivotal movement about said second axis.

3. A sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said guide members includes first and second vertically spaced rod portions said first rod portion being received in said hanger portion for pivotal movement relative thereto and said second rod portion comprising said sheet engaging portion.

4. A sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said hangers further includes a first opening through which said support bar extends and a second opening extending transversely of said first opening and through which said first rod portion extends, means for securing said hanger in a selected position of adjustment about said longitudinal axis of said support bar, and means for securing said first rod portion in said hanger to adjust said second rod portion about said second axis in a selected position.

5. A sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 4 further including elevator means for moving said pile vertically as sheets are removed therefrom to position the top of the pile at a predetermined elevation, means supporting said support bar and elongated members for bodily vertical movement, safety switch means for controlling said elevator means and operable to stop operation of said elevator means in response to bodily vertical movement of said support bar.

6. In a sheet feeder adapted to successively feed sheets from a pile of sheets, means for successively separating the top sheet from the pile by moving the top sheet vertically relative to the pile and moving the separated sheet laterally relative to the pile, sheet guide means including a plurality of elongated members supported at a predetermined first elevation above the pile and extending over a portion of the sheet and transverse to the leading edge thereof, said elongated members having a portion for engaging the top sheet to limit the extent of vertical movement thereof during said separation and to guide the sheet as the sheet is moved laterally, means supporting said plurality of elongated members for bodily vertical movement, elevator means for moving said pile vertically to maintain the top of the pile at a second predetermined elevation below said first elevation as sheets are removed therefrom, and safety switch means associated with said member supporting means for controlling said elevator means and operable to stop operation of said elevator means in response to bodily vertical movement of said members by the top of the pile when the pile is excessively raised and moved above said first elevation.

7. A sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means supporting said elongated members for bodily vertical movement includes a support bar having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to the leading edge of the top sheet, a plurality of hangers supported on said support bar and carrying said guide members, and bracket means supporting the opposite ends of the support bar for movement in a vertical direction.

8. A sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said bracket means includes a pair of spaced fixed brackets defining vertically extending slots therein and support members secured to the opposite ends of said support rod received in said slots, and wherein said safety switch means is supported on one of said fixed brackets and engaged by a portion of one of said support members and when moved effecting operation of said switch means to stop said elevator.

9. A sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 7 further including means supporting said hangers for pivotal movement relative to said support bar in a vertical direction and means securing said elongated members to said hangers and providing for pivotal movement thereof relative thereto.

10. A sheet feeding apparatus as defined in claim 9 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,762,661 6/1930 Low 271-31 1,993,240 3/1935 Ciolino 27l12 3,006,635 10/1961 Elliott et a1. 27130 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner. R. J. HICKEY, Assistant Examiner. 

